Philadelphia Daily News from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 3

Philadelphia Dally News Thursday. Dec. 15. 1983 3 17 IE 6 9 1 i Staff Photography by Michael Marcantt Police officers (left) with women identified as employees or relatives of Enrico Riccobene, in his jewelry shop By JACK McGUIRE and EDWARD MORAN Daily News Staff Writers A nephew of reputed organized crime figure Harry "The Hunchback" Riccobene was found shot to death yesterday in what police said was a suicide possibly brought on by the victiirTs fear that he was next in line for a mob hit. Enrico Riccobene, 27, was found shortly before 4 p.m.

with a bullet wound of the left temple. His body, was inside a walk-in safe at the rear of the jewelry store he operated on Sansom Street near 7th, an area known as "Jewelers Row." In his left hand was a automatic that was kept in the store, police said. Riccobene was left-handed. His uncle, Robert Riccobene, 43, half-brother of Harry Riccobene, was shot to death in a mob-style killing Dec. 6.

Harry Riccobene, 72, has been the target of two shootings, including an apparent hit attempt last Shortly before Enrico Riccobene's death, police stopped a white Cadillac on Sansom Street near the store and questioned four occupants, including Salvatore Testa, 27, who authorities say is a leader of a faction of the local mob that has been involved in a blood feud with a group headed by Harry Riccobene. Sources said members of the police organized crime unit had followed the Cadillac from a restaurant in South Philadelphia to Sansom Street. In the Cadillac with Testa, police said, were Philip "Crazy Phil" Leo-netti, Lawrence "Yogi" Merlino both known associates of Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo, reputed head of the local crime family and a man identified as Favio Iannerella. Testa, son of Philip Testa, former head of the crime syndicate who was murdered in March 1981, and Merlino produced identification and were allowed to drive off, police said. But Leonetti and Iannerella had no iden- tification and were taken to South Detective headquarters for questioning.

They were later released. A source said police organized crime officers were keeping an eye on the Testa faction because they had been seen in the vicinity of Riccobene's store on a number of occasions in the past couple of weeks, including earlier yesterday. The alleged mob members would walk past the jewelry store and tap on the window, the source said. "It's a suicide," said Lt. Francis Friel, a Philadelphia homicide detective on assignment to the federal organized crime strike force.

"It's as simple as that." Asked if he thought Riccobene had felt threatened, Friel said, "If your last name is Riccobene, you have every right to be nervous." A police source said Riccobene had been warned by police organized crime officers that he might be targeted for murder, but he felt that because he was not involved in any criminal activities, he had nothing to worry about. Police said Riccobene had no police record and was not connected with the crime syndicate. About 3:30 p.m. yesterday, according to police, Riccobene told his sister, Karen Canning, 31, who works in See RiCCOBENE Page 28 Mob Held a Party For Jewelry Store I 'ill 1 A veritable "Who's Who" of the mob showed up to help open the store on Sansom Street near 7lh, the city's "Jewelers Row." Bruno was there, along with his chief lieutenant, Philip Testa; the Riccobenes were there; Jerry Blavat, the disc jockey friendly with crime figures, was there. The party began at 8 o'clock at night, after Jewelers Row had shut down for the day, so as not to attract undue attention.

Bruno was a regular visitor to the store after that, conducting business with associates by walking up and down Sansom Street. Among those seen conferring with Bruno in this manner was the late Roofers Union boss John McCullough, murdered in December 1980. Another visitor was John Berkcry, a longtime mob figure and now a fugitive from justice under indictment on federal narcotics charges. Authorities say the jewelry store was never anything but a legitimate business, as is the video store below it, which opened last January under the ownership of Salvatore Tambur-rino, a Riccobene associate who was murdered in November. Among Tamburrino's, customers for video rentals, ranging from classic films to those of a more seductive character, were a number of police officers.

One of the people who hung See STORE Page 28 ByJOEO'DOWD Daily News Staff Writer Enrico's Jewelry Store opened during a happy time for the local mob. It was the fall of 1979. and everybody was at peace. Angelo Bruno, the "gentle don," was in charge and harmony reigned. Only distantly could be heard the rumblings that were to lead to some of the worst carnage in mob history anywhere.

A few months away was Bruno's murder, which would signal the siege of terror in which bodies would begin to show up at regular intervals, torn by bullets or bombs, stuffed in plastic bags and left in the trunks of Cadillacs. But that autumn it was a peaceable kingdom and a young man named Enrico Riccobene was sitting pretty. He was to run the store owned by his family, which included Uncle Harry "The Hunchback," Uncle Robert and his father, Mario. And he continued to run it with-apparent success and honesty until he committed suicide yesterday in apparent terror that he was next on the mob hit list simply because his name was Riccobene. Renovations to the store prior to the grand opening converted the place into the gang's notion of opulence, including a wrought-iron railing outside, at a cost believed to be S27S.000.

Staff Photography by Michael Mercantl Police remove Riccobene's body from jewelry shop.